Career and employment decision making is a highly
personal process. It involves the integration of
one's academic background and desires, psychological
and external needs, work history and community, or
family involvement with labor market trends. Before
you leap into a career, make sure you have taken the
time to evaluate yourself, your situation and
researched career information thoroughly. Making
career decisions is exciting and beneficial in
promoting personal happiness and satisfaction. It
can be a life decision that adds tremendously to
one's purpose in life, or it can be a lifelong
growth process, changing and evolving with time.
Today most people will make several career decisions
and hold numerous jobs with several companies,
institutions or firms. The opportunities are
enormous!

"Putting the Career Decision Pieces Together"

Directions: Below is a list of questions that you may find helpful in
determining the essential factors that effect your specific career decision.
Print this page or write in the spaces provided.

1.

Why are you making this career decision? Have your
priorities changed? Do you want to change jobs?

What is important for you to pursue at this point in
your life? What are your most important values?

4.

What do you want to accomplish through career
planning?

5.

What type of environment or work circumstances would
provide you with a satisfying work life?

6.

What parts of your personality are important to be
expressed often in your work environment (i.e. imaginative,
energetic, persuasiveness, gentleness, decisiveness, explorer,
etc.)?

7.

What adaptive strengths and marketable skills can
you rely on in the workplace?

8.

What role do you want to play in your work
environment (i.e., leadership, supportive, entrepreneur, team
orientation, independent)?

9.

What specific time frame do you have for carrying
out your career decisions?

10.

Are there some short-term skill areas you could
immediately improve? If so, how?

Consider these preliminary questions and others in evaluating your career
options. The next step
in the process includes a diagram to further help you "put the pieces together."
This will assist you in analyzing and comparing what you personally need from
work against the requirements of various job choices.